MAJOR UPDATE: August 31st, 2025
If you’re new to the nutritarian lifestyle, you’ve just finished reading Dr. Fuhrman’s best-selling book, “Eat to Live,” or you’re ready to level-up your whole food plant based lifestyle, this Green Smoothie Guide is going to help you reach your health goals in the most delicious way possible! Smoothies are healthy, refreshing and energizing drinks that just so happen to be health-and-longevity-promoting powerhouses when you make them, you guessed it, green.
Let’s take a few minutes to learn all the good things about this go-to drink that can double as a full meal replacement.
Here’s what we’ll be covering in the Eat to Live Green Smoothie Guide:
- my simple, adaptable green smoothie recipe
- why nutritarians love green smoothies
- health benefits of green smoothies
- top 3 best (and worst) liquids to use in your smoothies
- favorite greens and fruits
- my go-to banana replacement recipe
- healthiest seeds and optional supplements
- equipment
- fresh & frozen ingredients and smoothie texture
- how long you should really keep smoothie leftovers (from Dr. Fuhrman himself)
If you’re a fan of free printable .pdfs, you’re going to love this one–it encapsulates all the key concepts and recipes in this guide into a handy 1-pager! But, you’re going to have to hang with me to the end of this article (I’ve gotta have some incentive for you to stick around)…
My simple, adaptable green smoothie recipe:
This is the recipe framework I developed during my first year on the nutritarian diet. You can plug in your favorite fruits, greens and liquids and we’ll be going over recommendations for each of those categories in the rest of this guide.
Serves 1
- 1 cup fruit
- 2 cups greens
- 1 medium banana
- 1 1/4 cup liquid
- 1 tbsp. seeds
If you’re a green smoothie beginner, looking for the best-tasting green smoothie recipe possible: click here for my Easy Green Smoothie recipe!
Why do nutritarians love green smoothies?
I think we all know the drill by now: eat more raw veggies (especially greens) to live longer and lose weight. Dr. Fuhrman’s nutritarian plan is all about loading up on salad.
When I first started this diet in 2013, “salad is the main course!” was the North Star that kept me on track. It’s the mantra that allowed me to lose 21 pounds on the Aggressive Weight Loss 6 week plan without working out–so, that’s one powerful message. During those 6 weeks (you can read my journal here), I ate a large salad as my main course for lunch and dinner. I did it religiously. It worked.
Now that I’m on the maintenance plan, and I have over a decade of experience at this lifestyle, I’ve learned that extending the “salad is the main course” principle to include breakfast sheds weight faster. Dr. Fuhrman goes so far as to call a green smoothie a “blended salad!”
When I have my green smoothie in the morning I notice I have more energy and feel fuller longer than when I opt for just plain fruit or oatmeal and fruit for breakfast.
Why do you feel fuller longer when you start your day with a green smoothie? Because you’re feeding your body the top-tier nutrients it needs in a very efficient way.
Wanna geek out with me on the science behind green smoothies? Yay! If not, scroll through to get the basic recipe and my favorite greens, fruits and liquids to use in your green smoothies.
The scientific reasons why green smoothies rock!
The key is that raw cruciferous veggies, like kale, collard greens and Bok Choy, have some of the most important phytochemicals known to man. And the very best way to get to those potent nutrients is by chewing well, juicing, chopping or blending.
If you need a little refresher, phytochemicals are complex chemical compounds that occur naturally in plants. They support self-reparative mechanisms in cells and enable the body’s defense system to work against waste products, such as free radicals and advanced glycation end products–a.k.a. all the stuff that keeps us fat and unhealthy!
“Blending raw vegetables with fruits is an efficient way to increase your nutrient absorption. The cell walls of the foods are efficiently crushed, making it easier for your body to absorb the beneficial phytochemicals contained within.” Dr. Joel Furhman, excerpt from Eat to Live (p. 250)
Cruciferous veggies have a special phytochemical: ITCs (short for a long scientific word: “isothiocynates”). ITCs fight inflammation, inhibit supplying oxygen to your fat cells (thus helping them to die–yay!), increase your body’s detoxification enzymes and fight against cancer. These ITCs are magic and you want them in your body. All. The. Time.
So, we know we want raw cuciferous veggies and we know the best way to activate them is through blending, so how do we not mess up this very good thing?
Glad you asked!
First let’s talk liquids.
Top 3 best (and worst) liquids to use in your smoothies:
Water.
Boring, right? I know, but it is hands-down the best liquid base for your green smoothie. It doesn’t add any calories or interfere with the veggie goodness and the best part? It’s free!
Runner up: coconut water.
This is my personal favorite. But is has to be unsweetened. Look for a brand that has one ingredient: coconut water. Period. It’s actually harder than you think to find, so read labels. I’ve used ZICO, Whole Food’s 365 brand and Costco’s Kirkland brand.
100% unsweetened coconut water has about 40-50 calories for 8-8.45 ounces. But what I love most is the potassium advantage. Coconut water gives you 490mg of potassium (that’s 14% of your recommended daily value) woop woop! It also brings in 4% calcium, 4% magnesium and 2% phosphorus.
There is some naturally-occurring sodium, which makes it not as good as water, but the extra electrolyte load is worth it in my book, especially if you’re very active.
Third place: plant milk.
Again, this option only works if it is unsweetened.
So why the third-place status? Mostly the processing and added ingredients like xantham gum and tricalcium phosphate. If you make your own nut-milk at home, then you’re good to go. But be mindful if you’re in weight-loss mode because those extra calories can add up.
If possible, look for 2-ingredient store bought varieties, like the Elmhurst brand shown above.
3 Worst Liquids: Stay away from juice, coconut milk and dairy.
Juice: It provides a lot of calories without any of the fiber found in whole fruit. I don’t recommend this liquid especially if you’re not yet at your ideal BMI (23 or under). Dr. Fuhrman does have some smoothie recipes that call for a half cup of juice or less, if you really must, be sure to keep it to a minimum and use it once you’re in maintenance.
Coconut milk: It has waaaay too much fat. Enough said. This is supposed to be a blended salad people, not a blended spinach dip!
Dairy: Dr. Fuhrman considers this a low-nutrient food that should be limited (Eat to Live, p. 224). There are compounds in dairy that actually counteract all the veggie-goodness going on.
The best greens to use in your Green Smoothies (with their ANDI scores):
- Kale (1000)
- Collard Greens (1000)
- Bok Choy (824)
- Spinach (739)
- Swiss Chard (670)
- Mixed Baby Greens (389 – 1000)
- Mixed Microgreens (~340 -1000)
- Romaine Lettuce (389)
Leafy greens are as good as you can get when it comes to nutrient density.
A good general rule of thumb is to rotate your greens and get new varieties each time you go grocery shopping. These are all greens I’ve personally used with my basic green smoothie recipe.
If you’re a complete newbie: Start with spinach or a combo of 1 cup spinach and 1 cup kale like I use in my Easy Green Smoothie recipe. Mixed baby kale and spinach is a great starting option too.
After you have a few green smoothies under your belt, you can move towards more complex-flavored greens like Bok Choy, collard greens, Swiss chard and microgreens.
For more of a blended-salad-style green smoothie, romaine lettuce is a lovely option–I like it mixed with spinach.
The main goal to attain the “perfect” Eat to Live green smoothie is to load up on the greens! I absolutely stuff in as much as I can. My goal is 2 cups of greens per smoothie. Don’t worry, the fruit is there to add sweetness. You want to get right up to that “sweet spot” where the greens’ taste is not too overpowering and it still tastes slightly sweet. Really push yourself to get as many greens in there as possible!
What is an ANDI score?
Dr. Fuhrman created a measurement system to easily asses a food-s nutrient density and it’s called ANDI or Aggregate Nutrient Density Index. If you’re a nutritarian old-timer like me you may remember when this score sheet was front and center at the Whole Food’s produce department.
Now, the ANDI system is mostly used by nutritarians to help guide our food choices. I used Dr. Fuhrman’s ANDI guide and this guide to compile the information in this article and the corresponding printable.
The best fruits to use in your Green Smoothies (with their sugar content per 100 grams of fruit):
What makes a given fruit the “best” is going to entirely depend on you! How much experience do you have with green smoothies? Are you a beginner who needs all traces of “greens” flavor to be wiped away with strong, sweet tropical fruits? Or are you ready for the challenge of a low-sugar-content fruit that lets the greens shine through?
A general rule of thumb is to start with higher-sugar-content fruits when you’re a green smoothie novice and slowly experiment with lower-sugar-content fruits as you progress through your healthy lifestyle.
Let’s start with the fruits that will form the base of your smoothie. Using my basic green smoothie formula you’ll want 1 cup of a base fruit.
The following list are my favorite selections. I’m kind of a stickler for my green smoothies being, well, green, so I haven’t included berries on this list. Don’t worry, I have them included in the free printable .pdf at the end of this guide with their sugar grams included.
Smoothie base fruits (from sweetest to least-sweet):
- banana (15.8g)
- pineapple (11.4g)
- mangoes (11.1g)
- tangerines (10.6g)
- green apples (10.6g)
- oranges (8.6g)
- kiwis (8.6g)
- peaches (8.4g)
- grapefruit (6.9g)
Smoothie flavor-enhancing fruits:
- lemons (2.5g)
- limes (1.7g)
Lemons and limes are very low in sugar but I don’t consider them a “base” fruit because your smoothie would just be too bitter to enjoy. Instead, I use them as a flavor-booster that compliments other fruits. For example: I love adding 1/2 Tbsp. of lemon juice when I’m using green apple as a base fruit. Or I’ll add lime juice with mango.
Why include sugar content?
The sugar content numbers I complied for this article and the printable .pdf are from this U.S. Department of Agriculture database.
The sugar grams provided are for the 100-gram-weight of a given fruit. This helps us to compare fruits to each other easily.
A note on using berries in your green smoothies:
There are two reasons I don’t include berries as my recommended fruits for green smoothies:
- berries turn green smoothies brown
- Dr. Fuhrman no longer recommends using bananas with berries in smoothies
The truth is we eat with our eyes first. Personally that bright-green signature green smoothie color enhances my appreciation that I’m flooding my bloodstream with the best-of-the-best nutrients. Plus, I have kids, and the brown smoothie jokes alone are worth me avoiding that hoopla at all costs.
On a more serious note, in 2024 Dr. Fuhrman presented new evidence in “Clean & Green: New Guidelines for crafting a smoothie” that indicated berries now have a big caveat when used in smoothies.
Berries are high in a group of phytochemicals called flavonoids. Flavanoids are powerful antioxidants.
In his new guidance, Dr. Fuhrman shared that “[b]ananas are high in an enzyme that breaks down other beneficial flavonoids [and] [t]o maximize flavonoid bioavailability from berries, we should avoid combining berries with bananas.”
Not to worry! You can still use all the fruits I recommend above.
And if you really want berries in your green smoothie, I have a simple banana replacement recipe you’ll love.
Best substitute for banana in a smoothie recipe:
This has been a frequently asked question for years and I decided to put on my thinking cap and get this answered in the best way possible: using science!
I had to figure out what makes a banana so particularly good for smoothies. After looking up the nutritional breakdown, I noticed that bananas are high in starch and sugar. So, a replacement had to bring those same strengths to the table. It also had to approximate the 100 gram weight and volume of the banana so it could work as a substitute for any smoothie recipe you threw at it.
A medium banana is about 100 grams in weight. It has 88 calories, 23 grams carbs, 1.7 grams fiber, 3.66 grams starch (that’s why it’s so good in smoothies) and 15.82 grams sugars.
My banana replacer recipe:
- 1 Medjool date, pitted (~24 grams)
- 1/2 cup frozen cauliflower (~66 grams)
- 1/2 Tbsp. arrowroot powder (~4 grams)
This banana replacement recipe is 95 grams in weight. It has 94 calories, 24.6 grams carbs, 3.2 grams fiber, 3.93 grams starch and 17.42 grams sugars. In other words, it’s about as near-perfect-a-banana-approximation as you can get with reasonably-easily-sourced food items (I imagine myself saying that in Sheldon Cooper’s voice).
I’ve tested this banana-substitution recipe and it works in every. single. smoothie. recipe. I’ve. tried.
Always add Seeds to your green smoothie!
If you’re not already doing this you need to start now!
Seeds do two things: (1) they provide even more phtyochemicals and (2) the fats in seeds increase the absorption of the protective nutrients in vegetables eaten in the same meal. So, image your kale (which is pretty darn spectacular by itself) magnified, pumped, charged, ready to kick some free-radical-butt! That’s what adding seeds to your green smoothie does.
Favorite seeds for green smoothies:
- ground flaxseeds
- sesame seeds
- sunflower seeds
- chia seeds
- pumpkin seeds
- hamp seeds
What are the best optional supplements / protein powders to add to your green smoothie?
- Dr. Fuhrman’s Complete Greens: I received this as a free sample from Dr. Fuhrman’s team when the product first launched. I love that it has an organic mushroom blend and provides 5 grams of protein with only 60 calories per 15 gram scoop. The flavor is delicious and not overpowering, with notes of green tea and turmeric and a slightly sweet taste. I definitely noticed even more energy on the days I used this in my green smoothies! I highly recommend it (though the price tag is steep), especially if you dislike the taste or texture of mushrooms and want an easy way to get your daily dose.
- Hemp protein powder: This is one of the cleanest “protein powders” I’ve ever come across. I’d recommend using this in place of adding seeds because it’s essentially ground up hemp seeds. A 4-Tbsp. serving has 15 grams of protein and 120 calories. I usually only use 2 Tbsp. per smoothie. The taste is quite nutty and slightly stringent at the end. If you like the flavor of hemp seeds you should be good with this as a supplement.
- Dr. Fuhrman’s Mushroom Chai Superfood Powder: This is a popular supplement I saw used on social media and it has only 10 calories and 0 grams of sugar per scoop. It has a strong Ceylon cinnamon flavor with that proprietary organic mushroom powder blend. I like adding this to my green smoothies when I’m looking for a different flavor. Very enjoyable way to feel like you’re having coffee when you’re sipping on a green smoothie.
- Other protein powders: I know these are all the rage right now but Dr. Fuhrman shares his views on what to look out for in this article. Be mindful of the ingredients, sugar, calories and fat.
Smoothie equipment:
I highly recommend using a high-speed blender like Vitamix or Bledntec.
You want that high-speed just means that there’s a super-charged motor in the blender. You need that power to pulverize the frozen fruit and create that thick, creamy, satisfying smoothie texture.
I have two Vitamix blenders:
- Vitamix 5200: I’ve had this since I became a nutritarian in 2013. Then, in 2018, I gave my original 5200 to my mom and dad and bought a refurbished one.
- Vitamix A3500: We bought this as our family blender because the blender bowl is bigger. I also got the optional smoothie cup which I recommend.
Other blenders can work too, just allow your smoothie ingredients to defrost a bit before blending and you’ll be good to go!
Fresh versus frozen smoothie ingredients:
If you want a thicker smoothie texture you’ll want to use as many frozen ingredients as possible.
You can use a combo of fresh and frozen ingredients for a medium-level texture that is more on the liquid side.
If you use all fresh ingredients, it will still work but it will be more of a green juice consistency.
You can freeze any and all of the fruits I include in the printable .pdf guide. If you’re pre-freezing citrus (like tangerines and oranges) to use in your smoothie you can leave the seeds in if you’re using a high-speed blender. Just make sure to remove the peel and pith.
Measurement adjustments for fresh greens: If you’re using fresh greens make sure to stuff them into your measuring cup. They should be two packed cups of fresh greens because frozen greens are much more concentrated and dense.
How long should you really keep green smoothie leftovers?
In my research for this Eat to Live Green Smoothie Guide, I came across this YouTube short video where Dr. Fuhrman gives his recommendation for smoothie leftovers.
“We want people to consume [smoothies] that day or the next day. And if you have to keep it a third day throw it out and make a new one. Even if you keep it in the refrigerator, too much oxidation starts to go on, and also when you put it in the refrigerator, it’s better if tightly covered. Make it so there’s not much air in the one you’re saving, so fill it up to the top as much as you can or use a smaller container, so there’s not much air in there. And then use a tightly-fitting top and put it in the refrigerator.”
These are my favorite glass jars for leftover smoothies.
According to this video, he does not recommend freezing leftover smoothies.
In my own experience, I have frozen leftover green smoothie for popsicles and when recipe developing. I like to use ice-cube molds then transfer to a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.
Allow the smoothie cubes to defrost in the fridge and mix to reconstitute.
Green Smoothie Guide by Hello Nutritarian Free Printable
Well guys, we said it all!
We covered everything you’ll ever need to know about creating delicious, energizing and health-promoting green smoothies.
If you found this a helpful guide or have any questions, please take the time to leave a comment below. Your feedback motivates me so much to keep creating in-depth articles and guides that help you take action in your nutritarian lifestyles!
JUST made this for breakfast. It. Is. Amazing. Used water as my liquid and it was perfect. I love what the hemp seeds add too! Thank you for the recipe! One question – I added some plant based protein powder. Does that mitigate the benefits at all? I always feel like I need to add protein to my smoothies in the mornings. I would love any thoughts on that! Hope you have a great day! xoxo
Hi Jennifer! Yay! I’m so glad you tried it out!! That is a really great question, so I went to my books! Dr. Fuhrman doesn’t advocate a diet that is too high in protein. “Almost all Americans get enough daily protein. In fact, the average American consumes more than 100 grams of protein each day, about 50% more than the recommended daily amount.” The danger really comes from animal-based proteins because they raise IGF-1 levels (an insulin-like growth hormone that has shown to be cancer-causing). “Protein-rich plant foods, such as seeds, beans, and greens, don’t raise IGF-1 levels, don’t contain pro-inflammatory substances, and are rich in anti-inflammatory and life-extending phytochemicals.” So, since your protein powder is plant-derived you should be fine! I think this might need to be a future blog post cause there is a lot of good information on this! About every other day I have a side of tofu eggs with my green smoothie!
Do you have any suggestions for replacing the banana? I have a food intolerance towards them.
Thanks!
Hi Steph! Such a great question! So, I did a little digging around and found this article about banana substitutes.
They recommend: oatmeal, chia seeds, avocado, frozen fruit (mango, peaches and young coconut), yogurt (I’d recommend a non-dairy one with coconut or almond milk).
So, in this green smoothie recipe, you could use more mango, maybe 1/2 a cup extra.
I hope this helps! Please let me know how it goes!
Great post. Interesting that you don’t recommend chia especially using something like a Vitamix. I use 1 T each flax, chia, hemp and rolled oats. I soak the hemp and oats overnight and then add everything else using a NutriBullet. I never use banana and right now the only fruit is blackberry because I have lots in the freezer. I was using 2 T hemp and no rolled oats but I was running low on hemp so changed to the 1:1 and never looked back. But either way the smoothie came out super smooth and creamy so banana is not necessary and no sub needed.
Hi Judith!
You raise a really important point about chia seeds!
The other day I had run out of banana and wanted to make my usual morning green smoothie. About 1 tbsp of chia seed worked wonderfully to thicken the smoothie without the banana!
The only reason I didn’t include rolled oats in the recipe is on Dr. Fuhrman’s plan you’re only allowed 1 cup of whole grains daily, so I wanted it to a recipe that could be used even if your whole grians quota had been met for the day!
Thank you so much for sharing your subs for banana!!
xo, Kristen
Hi!
Thanks for the recipe. I’m on my forst day of the 6-week plan and kindof freaking out about not being allowed my daily smoothie. This helps a lot.
My question is about matcha. I started adding green tea powder to my smoothies a few months ago as a way to get caffiene without many calories (to replace my creamy, sugary coffee). Do you think adding matcha is going to affect the smoothie’s nutritional punch?
Hi Rainbow!
Yay, so glad you’re liking the smoothie recipe! If anything, green tea can only make it better! Dr. Fuhrman lists green tea as one of the foods that help fight fat (you cna find the table on page 87 of The End of Dieting) and it also has special phytochemicals called “catechins” that have shown to absorb ultraviolet radiation and help prevent skin cancers!
Thanks so much for your comment!
xo, Kristen
Hi,this is my third day and I have a terrible headache!…is this normal?
Hi Maria!
Yes! It is very normal to have a headache on day three! You can read my first week journal here–I had the exact same withdrawal symptom!
They will go away, although they are painful and annoying. It’s your body’s process of getting healthier!
xo, Kristen
Do you add the ground flax or hemp seeds into your frozen smoothie bags? Or do you add it with the coconut water when you blend? Thanks!
Hi Kelly!
So I don’t include the seeds in my smoothie prep packs, but I don’t think there would be any difference if you did!
Go ahead and give it a try!
xo, Kristen
Kristen I was wonder about the green smoothie,I add ginger,celery,green apple,parsley and juice it. It is better to place it in the blender and I like your hones opinion. Sometimes instead of the morning time I will have it in the afternoon.
Hi Martha!
So, Dr. Fuhrman advocates for smoothies over juices because the juicing removes the fiber from the fruits and veggies. You could absolutely blend your celery, apple, ginger and parsley!
And yes, you can have your smoothie at any time, I usually pick breakfast because I strive to get in two giant salads each day for maximum health and weight loss benefits!
xo, Kristen
Where have you been the last year of my life??? I found your site on the eat to live Facebook group and can’t stop browsing. I’ve been following the eat to live program for the last year and so my I’ve found so many helpful tips – thank you! I love you idea of adding frozen green. I usually make salads for the week on Sunday and I’m often not left with any other greens for smoothies. Thank you!!
Hi Brad!
So happy you found the blog and that you are part of the ETL facebook group!
I’m so glad you’ve found content that is helping you in your health journey!
Yes, you can buy a head of kale and just throw it right in the freezer for smoothies!
xo, Kristen
I have been using a Magic Bullet to mix my smoothies, but find it does not blend well when using frozen fruits. Is there a blender that you love?
Hi Kristen! When you say 2 cups of greens, do you compact them down into the measuring cup?
Thx Mardelle
Hi Mardelle!
Yes, stuff them in there–you want as many as you can get!
xo, Kristen
Is there something less starchy I can use besides banana? Or is there a certain reason it’s added, such as flavor? I tried it this morning and have a week supply prepared. It was delicious!
Hi Kristen,
I noticed on your 6 week diary you had fruit and/or almond butter for most breakfasts, or oatmeal. Is there a reason you are recommending smoothies? Which is better for weightloss and health? I’ve noticed that smoothies can sometimes give me (ahem) diarrhea.
I’ve recently started doing green smoothies every day as a way to get in the greens and fruit (which I’m not a big fan of). I was adding pre-milled flax seed (Bob Mills), but then read how the store bought milled flax seed has lost it’s nutrients before you even get it home. So I bought a cheap coffee grinder today and a bag of whole flax seeds and starting tomorrow I’ll be grinding my own seeds! I’ve also started doing a 1/2 ounce flax seed/1/2 ounce sunflower seed combo in my smoothies and I can’t taste the sunflower seeds at all when it’s all blended together (another thing that I’m not a fan of lol). Green smoothies make it so easy to get in the good stuff, even the ones you might not like 🙂
Hi again Sara!
I can’t thank you enough for all the lovely and thoughtful comments you’ve shared ont he site–please know that I value each and every one of them!!
WOW!! You are awesome!! I’ve been thinking about doing the same and then I just lazy-out–but you are seriously inspiring me to get on the fresh-ground bandwagon!!
xo, Kristen
Throw the seeds into the Vitamix first, grind them up, then add the other ingredients. Saves a step and a wash-up.
Love love love! this site. Thank you!
what about organic rice, organic hemp, or organic grain milks instead of almond milk? I really can’t stand almond milk. I understand why not coconut milk with the fat. Thanks in advance
Erin, she says in the recipe discussion you can use any unsweetened non-dairy milk, with preference being given to those that have the least added ingredients (thickeners, etc.) HTH
I’m so thankful to have found your site! I’ve been nutritarian for several years and love all your encouragement and tips. It’s hard living with people who think I’m a little extreme–but they all are drinking green smoothies now. I always add berries to my smoothies since Dr Fuhrman recommends eating them every day. I also find that cucumber makes my smoothies light and refreshing.
So wonderful to meet you Kathy!
I’m so happy you found you way to the site!
Oh, I definitely understand about living with non-nutritarians, I have 3 of them 😉
Thank you so much for adding such great tips to green smoothie guide! I’ve been meaning to add cucumber to mine as well–thank you for the re-inspiration!!
xo, Kristen
Hello Kristen!
I have found your blog ever so helpful and motivational! I have begun this nutritarian lifestyle and I’m 100% in! I’m trying to track calories however and I’m finding it difficult. How many calories are in the green smoothie made with coconut water?
Thanks for all you do!
MW
My husband is on a blood thinner. Is it bad to use greens in a smoothie as they are vitamin K , which is a blood thinner. What is safe?
Hi Suzy!
I would really ask his doctor about that as I’m not sure!
xo, Kristen
Would adding cocoa or cacao to smoothies be a no no?
Hi Linda!
You can definitely add cocoa powder to your smoothies!
Dr. Fuhrman has a chocolate cherry smoothie recipe on his site that is very good–check it out: https://www.drfuhrman.com/recipes/449/chocolate-cherry-smoothie
xo, Kristen
Thank you for these posts….I can leave out the banana! …..hooray! But may need to eat my smoothie with a spoon – too thick things remind me of my dad giving me ‘special’ cherry flavoured cough medicine!!! Yuk! I couldn’t swallow it !
Carolinet, you could always add more liquid so your smoothie is drinkable.
I love this site and it is so inspiring! I have a quick question for you that has plagued my smoothie life for years! I am allergic to Bananas and have always struggled to ind a substitute for smoothies that gives some texture to the smoothies!
Thanks for your help!
So wonderful to met you, Leah!
To mimic that banana texture you might want to add a 1/2 tbsp of raw chia seeds. They have a gelatinous texture when blended and I’ve used them when I run out of bananas!
xo, Kristen
How many servings would this smoothie recipe make? One or two? Do you drink the entire batch as your breakfast or do you separate it and have it over two mornings?
Hi Kristen I’m so glad I found your website, I’m trying to change my lifestyle with healthier eating so I’ve started this plan. Had the smoothie for breakfast and it’s not bad but I’m still hungry or I just need something to chew on, any suggestions? Also it says eat salads as your main meal but not eat anything in between meals what can I have after the salad to feel up?
Hi Susan!
So excited to hear that you’ve started your nutritarian journey!
In the beginning you’re going to “feel” like you’re hungry but it’s really withdrawal symptoms you’re experiencing. Have you read on of Dr. Fuhrman’s books yet? He does a great job of explaining what to expect on the body processes level!
After your giant salad you can have soup, a veggie-stuffed pita, a buddah bowl–lots of options! I have a whole library of free daily meal plans here!
You’ll find some great ideas and recipes there!
xo, Kristen
Will the smoothie keep in fridge or freezer if I make on the weekend? I can’t run the blender in the mornings due to everyone’s sleep schedules.
Hi Jo,
I’ve never pre-prepped the smoothie. I do know some people will blend them ahead and keep in the fridge, they change texture, but I do think you could keep them fresh in a Mason jar. I wouldn’t do more than one day prepared ahead of time.
xo, Kristen
Consume morning smoothies every day usually with POM, expensive but OK,right?
Smoothies 3/daily for a week ok? The only cooking I know!
Hi John, that sounds good, the real key if you’re going nutritarian is to get 1 pound raw and 1 pound cooked veggies daily–that’s where the real healing and positive benefits occur!
Wishing you all the best!
How do you measure out a pound of veggies each day without a scale?
If you can I’d definitely recommend a simple kitchen scale–you can find them on Amazon for under $10! It will help you immensely!
But as a rough estimate: 2 cups tightly-packed greens with 1 cup chopped toppings (carrots, cucumber, tomatoes, onions, cabbage) will weigh in around at least half a pound (about 250 grams).
Thank you for all you do! I know this post is super old, but I noticed you wrote Dr, Fuhrman says to eat 2tbsp of ground flaxseeds, but in everything else, it says only one. Haaaaalp! (in my Leeloo voice).
LOL! Okay, I love the 5th Element–so awesome reference!
If you saw him say one tbsp definitely go with his measurements!
I will be updating this recipe soon!
Could you make a big batch of the green smoothie on Sunday and have it on hand throuhgout the week? (Just needing to stir it all back in if it separates.) I’m getting back on the Nutritarian lifestyle journey and am excited to start feeling better again!! (Lactose intolerant and gluten sensitive here)
Hi Jennifer, yes you can absolutely do that if you wish!
Would love to get myself in shape and help others. I will be opening a healing Airbnb to help others with cancer, immune problems like sarcoidosis, and heart valve replacements. Most don’t know what to do when they get diagnosed with cancer including me. But if you don’t change what you have been doing, you will get what you always got. Cancer may return, but we must fight back. This is my way…..
Hi Rhonda, I think that’s such an amazing thing to do! I agree that it must feel absolutely overwhelming when you get a diagnoses like that! Wishing you all the best in your mission!
Banana plug me up. What can I use instead?
Hi Amy, I’m not sure on a substitution suggestion for that–maybe do a Google search for people who’ve experimented with that substitution?
I have been following Dr Fuhrman for quite a while, I am eating a mostly vegan whole food diet. For a 3/4 year I tried loosing 20 lbs with 16:8 Intermittent Fasting but only lost 8 lbs. I am so excited to have found your amazing website and get started with some serious diet modifications.
Today I tried the green smoothie for the first time and it was very thick I had to add an additional 1/4 cup almond milk and a 1/2 cup water. I only used Frozen Spinach (no kale or chard), Is this the reason why it was so thick?
Also in the 6 week plan you eat oatmeal and fruits for breakfast, is that in addition to the green smoothie? or these are 2 separate plans?
Thanks!
Hi Joel! Congratulations on your established nutritarian lifestyle!
There are variations in the sizes/weights and even consistency of the produce (bananas especially) that can cause differences in the consistency.
So in my collection of daily menu plans I have a green smoothie for some breakfasts or oatmeal and fruit and then on other days I’ll have tofu eggs. So, no it’s not in addition to.
I add a bunch of things to my morning smoothie, which has a base similar to your version, except I use frozen berries as my main fruit along with 1/2 to 1 small banana One unusual add-in is 2 cooked button or Bella mushrooms. I don’t love mushrooms (though I will eat them) and this helps me get my daily dose of M in the GBOMBS.
WOW! Kim that is such a great way to get your mushrooms in there! Thanks so much for sharing your amazing modifications–this will be very helpful to many!
Oh this was delicious!!!
I’m SO happy to hear that! Thanks for taking the time to let me know you enjoyed it Colleen!
Kristen, I have IBS so I’m not sure how my tummy would react to alot of these foods. But I love to eat this way. Just don’t want to upset my tummy.
Hi Kathy,
When I went to Dr. Fuhrman’s retreat in 2019 he addressed this topic. He told us that the reason people get digestive issues when switching to this lifestyle is because their gut biome has not be cultivated with enough fiber-eating healthy bacteria to ease this type of digestion. So the only way to develop that population is by eating these foods but you will want to do it gradually over a space of two to three months until your gut has adapted and digestion becomes easier.
Hope this helps to share that there is a light at the end of the tunnel!
All the best,
Kristen
I’m losing faith in this nutritarian plan. I’,m vegan thanks to Dr, Fuhrman and the Hippocrates Health Institute but I’m not losing weight. I’m craving real food and need encouragement.
Hi Adinah,
Something that helped me to lose body fat was walking for one hour a day. You can work up to it starting out with 15 minutes, then 30 then 45 and finally an hour. It really targets body fat specifically and it doesn’t put the stress on your body that higher-intensity workouts do.
Give that a try along with eating nutritarian and let me know how it goes after 4 weeks!
xo, Kristen
I read both “Super Immunity” and “Mastering Diabetes”
I work on an organic farm and also do 75 minutes of hard aerobics at least every other day i guess I burn at least 2500 calories per day. I’m 65 and have been raw vegan (except for cooked legumes) since I was 35.
Twice a day I have this smoothie : 1-2 cups of cooked beans into a blender then use a big daikon radish to pack 1 pound of raw collards into the cooked beans.
On reading your book “Super Immunity” I learned that we fail to absorb 90% of the phyto nutrients in Raw cruciferous green leafy vegetables unless we add some oily seed milk .So now I blend 2 level table spoons of flax seed in 5 oz of water in an 8oz Oster mini jar then I pour the flax seed milk into my 2x daily collard green-bean smoothie which already contains 1.5 cups of pigeon peas (1.5 grams ) or 1.5 cups of Cannellini beans (.09g fat)
the flax seed milk has 7.33g of fat + 1.5 grams from the beans+ fat in 1 pound of raw collards(2.8g ) = so with the added flax seed each smoothie has 11.63g of fat per smoothie x 2= 23.6g of fat in just my 2 smoothies
The MAXIMUM total fat intake “Mastering Diabetes” allows is 30 grams per day
Since I also eat oats and beans which has another 6 grams of fat and eat a lot of muscadine ground up with the seeds,paw paws and other fruits throughout the day my total fat with 2 table spoons of flax deed per pound of raw collards exceeds the upper limit of 30 grams per day set by “Mastering Diabetes”
Can I still maximize my absorption of the nutrients in 1 pound of raw collards blended with beans if I add seed milk containing only 1 level table spoon of flax seed (3.66g fat) per pound of raw collards?
If so I can stay under 30 g…
Thank you
Robert Franch
Hi Robert,
It sounds like you’re doing an incredible job being precise with what you’re taking in.
Dr. Fuhrman talks about the best ratio being: 60% of calories coming from carbs, 15 10 18% coming from protein and the rest coming from fats (22 to 25%). I got this figure from his podcast video you can see here:
I would apply that ratio to your TOTAL calories you’re eating daily. If you estimate that you’re buying 2500 calories daily your calorie allotment for fats is between 550 and 625 calories from fat per day.
There are 9 calories in 1 gram of fat. So, that would be between 61 and 69 grams of fat daily on a 2,500 calorie diet.
I don’t know what your calorie target is but you can apply the same math to it.
Hope this helps and wishing you all the best,
Kristen
I’m confused about the timeline here, but I’ve just discovered your site, and I’m wondering about the smoothies. I think they might help me get my nutrients in, but several of the other plant based sites (notably Esselstyns) caution against using smoothies as they think there is a nutritional advantage to chewing your fruits and veggies. I’m sure you’ve addressed this somewhere, but I can’t find it. Thanks for your help…
Hi Carey,
Yes, there is an advantage to chewing your produce! I’ve mentioned it here and there in articles on the site but I think I should add that consideration into this guide.
I will be updating this guide soon to reflect Dr. Fuhrman’s latest guidance on smoothies. Here’s a link where you can read it straight from him: https://www.drfuhrman.com/blog/279/clean-green-new-guidelines-for-crafting-a-smoothie?srsltid=AfmBOop-HvAh71cfUNWdCH49DCvpbmfoovycY4b13olzhAkR60rzcLhU
Best,
Kristen
Want to be the healthiest I can be.
Love hearing that, Linda–green smoothies are a great place to start!
Why do you include a substitute for banana in your smoothies? What is the problem with using the banana?
Hi Kat,
It’s a common request I’ve gotten over the years–quite a few people either dislike or are allergic to bananas.
Also, in the last year Dr. Fuhrman has released new guidance on smoothies (you can read his article here). He advises not to include banana in your smoothie when you’re also using berries as there is an enzyme in the banana that negatively affects the flavonoids found in the berries.
Best,
Kristen